Silly commuting racing

snooks

Quite an eventful commute really...schools are back, as is the traffic...forgotten how satisfying overtaking long lines of traffic is. (Some poor chap on a scooter on lower Richmond road, and police directing traffic, and thanking us all for waiting patiently)

A few nice scalps along the way but the SOD (scalp of day) was a ss mtb with slicks... I pulled wide to overtake, they pulled wide to go between speed bumps I go wide onto the speed bump and do a mid air scalp as I bounced past!

Almost went into the back of another cyclist who stopped suddenly to let a right turning car into the traffic, slide along the bus stop markings on the road and stopped...My saddle might be a bit thinner as a result...He got a good sprint off the lights and I was homing in for the kill at the time.

Almost got passenger doored, the cyclist in front got past (just)....giggly apologetic woman seemed to think it was a bit of a laugh, until I let my displeasure know in a "not the brightest of things to do now was it?" way...Who stops their car in the middle of the road and just lets a passenger out?...I ask you :evil:

Apart from that lot it was a good ride in, and some satisfying scaps along the way....bring on the 6pm melee :twisted:
.

UnworthyPapaLazaru

biondino wrote:

Also I am going to see the beautiful white fixie sometime this week...

The £900 one the guy on here is selliing?

lost_in_thought

cjcp wrote:

This will stop the screw seizing up inside your thread, which, on a Sunday morning when you're kids have woken up before 6am and there's no coffee in the house and you decide that you might as well get the cleats changed over on both shoes, can be a tad annoying.

A*se. I am now only able to unclip the right foot so in order to minimise the wear on the left cleat. When that goes, it's time for new shoes.

Don't give up! There are various methods for removing stuck screws - soaking with something to remove corrosion, the probable casue, like coke or even a specialist product, get an appropriate head for a good drill and get some more pressure on it, heat up the area, if your shoe can handle it, or last resort would be to drill it out.

Oh and good luck with the white SS Biondino, it looks pretty. Not £900 pretty, but pretty... I am the scrooge of the bike world.

Greg T

Morning all,

I've been off air for a while as I've taken delivery of new and VERY EXPENSIVE piece of kit that I've been struggling with.

For a start the instructions were missing. You can get lots of instructions, directions, DVDs etc etc for similar models but there are significant componentry differences that make these next to useless. I've basically been throwing the bits together and trying to get the drive chain working properly - however - we know that fine balancing is not my talent so it's making a hell of a noise on the changes.

I have to say that the performance is incredible, it can go from a standing start to 100 miles and hour in a little under 30 seconds, let me tell you that the wind noise at those speeds are incredible. Stopping however is appaling. From max revolutions to slow can take what feels like forever. I've called the factory about this design error - the technician who built it said this.

It took me nine months to build and you did nothing to help, it's too late to moan now, you fix what you've broken and leave me the feck alone in bed - man up you great big pussy

I think this is appaling customer service - I've re-read the contract and horror - It's a non return item. I can't send it back and have a refund....

It gets worse - in the very very small print I discover along with the initial purchase costs and licence fees I'm also in the hole for maint and service charges at an increasing rate with age....

How did that happen?

Have I told you about the mess?

I'll spend a couple of hours of a weekend with my toothbrush cleaning the road bike and it comes up lovely - runs silky smooth - bit of teflon dry lube - hums along just fine.

The new kit needs cleaning about ten times a day - you have never seen road dirt like this... I now wear my clear lens bike classes when hosing it down as the back splash is toxic.....

For the serious roadies the new kit was delivered at 0849 on Monday morning1st Sept - tidy weight of 7lb 13oz, little girl - I'm going to call her Bianchi.

I'm back at work at some point this week - this took me ages to type with one hand - also does anyone know if milk based vomit is in anyway harmful to laptops?

lost_in_thought

Congratulations, and welcome back!

2wheelzgood

Congrats Greg!! and Mrs GT, the technician. I just hope you don't show her this post of yours!
8)
Bianchi. sweet!

Coriander

Many congratulations.

You're calling her Bianchi. However, what are Mrs T and the rest of the world calling her?

Greg T

Coriander wrote:

Many congratulations.

You're calling her Bianchi. However, what are Mrs T and the rest of the world calling her?

I don't know - I've not been out of the house yet - does the sun still rise?

biondino

Woohoo! That's brilliant news, Greg. Try not to damage her (though she's not as fragile as carbon fibre I'll wager).

DonDaddyD

Congratulations Greg T.

Gee that puts the rant I was going to post about me nearly crashing this morning into real perspective.

Great News

Excelsior!

greg66_tri_v2.0

I think Bianchi is a wise choice for a girl. Much better than say, Giant.

Congrats. Not to you, obviously, as you've done nothing useful in the last 9 months, and (as you will soon hear) won't be doing anything useful for the next few either.

I think you'll find in a couple of years you'll both be riding fixed together. Try to keep up though.

ChrisLS

...Congratulations Greg... a lack of sleep ahead for awhile... :roll:

...Bianchi is a lovely name...

snooks

Top marks Mr Greg Sir...Congratulations

So when's she getting her first SS???

cjcp

Mr T - a tremendous effort, sir. Buy coffee. Lots of coffee.

Lit - thanks for the advice. I might try the coke first. I suspect I'll have to replace the nut with a spanner-friendly version that doesn't dig into the foot.

Good to me all on Friday. Litts - I owe you a beer.

Bassjunkieuk

Congrats GT :-) Good choice of name btw....

As for milk based vomit and laptops I haven't tried mixing the 2 but I shouldn't imagine they'll be to good together!

Spiny

Looking forward to some great posts now the stalwart VL and Snooks have returned to the fray!

Had a proper gentlemanly duel this morning. (Very rare for me to encounter any worthy opponents on my journey.)

Lycra-ed hairy roady on a fancy yellow Isaac monocoque TT machine. Me on me olde Mercian tourer avec panniers and usual baggy apparel. Vizzed him coming up in my little mirror. He drafted for awhile then overtook with a ‘You are really shifting on that thing’ comment. Which I thought was jolly sporting. Tucked up on his wheel but then we were filtering down the side of heavy traffic and slowing for roundabout.

Put in the effort to stay with him after the island then swung out into outside lane when I saw my gap in traffic. Lane change for straight ahead at next roundabout and I had left Mr. Isaac a good few lengths back still in the inside lane. He gave a very gratifying double-take when he saw me. Through the dangerous rdbt after having to slow to a complete stop I notice that he’s coming back at me.

He drew alongside and we exchanged a little friendly banter. He said ‘I hope you are not going to embarrass me again!’

I assured him that this was highly unlikely unless he was prepared to do a swap. He pointed out the problem of lack of pannier carrying ability on his racing steed, then got into his aero-tuck on the tribars and put the hammer down. I managed to hold him for the next alveoli-rupturing mile until the last 300yrd rise to the traffic lights. He turned off my route then. End of duel.

Drat! Bested! But not officially scalped, eh? Due to FCN disparity! (Pleeease tell me this is so!)

Happy commuting to all.
More power to your thighs (and other parts).

Spiny

Many congrats GT & Mrs. GT!

Can you get Bianchi Team Issue baby-grows then?

Or some Rapha nappies..

snooks

Spiny wrote:

I managed to hold him for the next alveoli-rupturing mile until the last 300yrd rise to the traffic lights. He turned off my route then. End of duel.

Good work fella (or fellaesss)

Not technically a scalp, but this is The Game, you gave him a run for his shiney bike money, and while you knew he was higher than the food chain allows you still fought an epic battle...then he ran away, or just had to go somewhere else...

Many times I've found myself the Jack Russell against a Rottweiler, and while I might be annoyingly yappy on their heels, if they were to really put the hammer down, I'd need a poopa scoopa....no harm in trying though

Every dog has its day

biondino

Lost in Thought, commiserations for losing in the US Open final on the weekend:

Spiny

Thank you Snooks!

Your comments are very heartening!

Just need to repair the lung damage <phlegmy cough> and I am game for the next encounter...

Wuff!

Citizen Smith

Congrats GT!

So give it year or two and you may be investing in one of these?



Could you stomach the +1 or seeing the kinda player you are, you would probably take it all in your stride (revolution) as adjusters make little difference to your much publicised gear ratios?!

itboffin

Congratulations Greg T and Chapeaux to Mrs T

Actually my little angels :evil: did come with a manual but it was either for a different model or printed in a foreign language.

Littigator

GT, can I add my congrats to you and Mrs GT and welcome to the world to dear little Bianchi...although can I be the firsy to express my reservations at choice of name.

Sorry but it has to be said, surely Cannondale Super Six 1 (Double) US is a much better name for a girl?

snooks

OK, I'm taking bets

2-1 Victoria T
5-1 Nicole T
6-1 Rebecca T

With middle names:

2-1 it's not a race
8-1 Hoy the real McCoy
4-1 Cervelo
100-1 The big ring

I'm thinking Victoria Bianchi Campagnolio T has a nice ring to it

il_principe

Congratulations Greg! There was much speculation re your absence at Friday Drinks.

Now will sleep deprivation effect your scalping abilities I wonder?

Bassjunkieuk

snooks wrote:

OK, I'm taking bets

2-1 Victoria T
5-1 Nicole T
6-1 Rebecca T

With middle names:

2-1 it's not a race
8-1 Hoy the real McCoy
4-1 Cervelo
100-1 The big ring

I'm thinking Victoria Bianchi Campagnolio T has a nice ring to it

48 or 46T? :-)

c12345

You could go with Celeste?
Quite sensible and sweet, and it would be months until Mrs. T found out the origins of the name, and far too late to change it.

cjcp

Spiny wrote:

Looking forward to some great posts now the stalwart VL and Snooks have returned to the fray!

Had a proper gentlemanly duel this morning. (Very rare for me to encounter any worthy opponents on my journey.)

Lycra-ed hairy roady on a fancy yellow Isaac monocoque TT machine. Me on me olde Mercian tourer avec panniers and usual baggy apparel. Vizzed him coming up in my little mirror. He drafted for awhile then overtook with a ‘You are really shifting on that thing’ comment. Which I thought was jolly sporting. Tucked up on his wheel but then we were filtering down the side of heavy traffic and slowing for roundabout.

Put in the effort to stay with him after the island then swung out into outside lane when I saw my gap in traffic. Lane change for straight ahead at next roundabout and I had left Mr. Isaac a good few lengths back still in the inside lane. He gave a very gratifying double-take when he saw me. Through the dangerous rdbt after having to slow to a complete stop I notice that he’s coming back at me.

He drew alongside and we exchanged a little friendly banter. He said ‘I hope you are not going to embarrass me again!’

I assured him that this was highly unlikely unless he was prepared to do a swap. He pointed out the problem of lack of pannier carrying ability on his racing steed, then got into his aero-tuck on the tribars and put the hammer down. I managed to hold him for the next alveoli-rupturing mile until the last 300yrd rise to the traffic lights. He turned off my route then. End of duel.

Drat! Bested! But not officially scalped, eh? Due to FCN disparity! (Pleeease tell me this is so!)

Happy commuting to all.
More power to your thighs (and other parts).

This is impressive stuff. Time to upgrade the road bike for speed, ditch the panniers and baggies. Mr Isaac will then need to reach even further into his locker.

Spiny

Hey! Thank you cjcp!

Coming from your good self this is praise indeed!

Hmm! I am occasionally lycra-ed, but in a touring/audax kind of mode.


Until recently I did have a very nice Bob Jackson road bike which I had custom made for me back in, um, er, long time ago, say 1990. Nevertheless it was a very classy steed and in tip-top nick by virtue of the fact that I only got it out of the shed on sunny summer sundays when I was feeling particularly speedy (i.e. not often). But earlier this year I gifted it to my nephew on the occasion of his 16th birthday... he was chuffed to bits, and we have since had a couple of great rides together. So it was well worth it...

But then I do miss it terribly! Sob!

cjcp

Spiny wrote:

Hey! Thank you cjcp!

Coming from your good self this is praise indeed!

Hmm! I am occasionally lycra-ed, but in a touring/audax kind of mode.


Until recently I did have a very nice Bob Jackson road bike which I had custom made for me back in, um, er, long time ago, say 1990. Nevertheless it was a very classy steed and in tip-top nick by virtue of the fact that I only got it out of the shed on sunny summer sundays when I was feeling particularly speedy (i.e. not often). But earlier this year I gifted it to my nephew on the occasion of his 16th birthday... he was chuffed to bits, and we have since had a couple of great rides together. So it was well worth it...

But then I do miss it terribly! Sob!

Thank you, sir. Very kind, but, like Biondino, you appear to be deluded. Biondino called me tall after seeing me on the bike. Then, last Friday, he did a double-take, realising that I am in fact a midget with an over-filled rucsac on an over-sized steed. For the record, I haven't raced for nigh on eight months and got my a*se walloped more often than not when I did. Had I tried to overtake Thighs-on-a-bike this morning, he would surely have taken a deep breath and served up an almighty portion of Humble Pie.

Bob Jackson, eh? Mmmm. Lucky nephew.